AT LEAST 31 bodies have been recovered in level 070, Barangay Ucab in Itogon, Benguet.

For six days, search, rescue and retrieval operations at the ground zero continue now with three backhoes on the site.

As of 11:54 a.m. of September 21, two more bodies were retrieved including a severed, still unidentified cadaver recovered Thursday with at least 39 still missing.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said the search and rescue was fast tracked with the arrival of the back hoes.

Palangdan added all national and provincial roads in the municipality remain open, but as of Friday, the municipal roads of Bahong-Lagilab, Kawayan-Junction-Calew, Upper Mangga-Luneta and Keystone Midas - Poblacion Road including the barangay road of first gate 070 are still closed.

Some 604 damaged and 94 destroyed houses were recorded in Itogon during the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong.

During a press briefing on Thursday, Department of Social Welfare and Development regional director Janet Armas said they have profiled 256 families in the landslide with 40 willing to go back to their provinces.

Death toll in the Cordillera continues to rise with 79, 61 coming from Benguet, 56 of which from Itogon, while Baguio City has 11, Mountain Province with six and one from Kalinga.

There are at least 50 missing in the region, 46 in Benguet and four in Baguio City.